McBride: Why Franklin should support a new high school

Sunday

Jan 29, 2012 at 12:01 AMJan 29, 2012 at 1:16 AM

Our town, Franklin, is about to make a very important decision about which direction it will go in. It is so hard to plan for a project of this size during a time of recession. Not everyone in our town can afford a tax increase or budget an added expense on a fixed income.

Our town, Franklin, is about to make a very important decision about which direction it will go in. It is so hard to plan for a project of this size during a time of recession. Not everyone in our town can afford a tax increase or budget an added expense on a fixed income.

But, our town can NOT afford to walk away from this opportunity. Please use The Town of Falmouth as an example of what not to do.

The Town of Falmouth decided to renovate their high school. They were told the project would cost $86 million and take two years. Three years behind schedule, and $19 million over budget — the school still isn’t finished.

The first builder that was hired to complete the project was sued by the town for unfinished work, but the town lost and had to pay the builder $900,000. The town was sued by the architect and lost $2.1 million — not to mention the $5.5 million the town has paid in legal costs.

My parents live in Falmouth — on a fixed income — but, they realized the value of having an improved high school in their community. Their advice? Don’t make the same mistakes as Falmouth.

They were not given the choice of building through the Model School Building program. We are being offered the opportunity of a lifetime — a brand new $104.5 million school for $47 million. Yes, it is still a lot of money, but, if we don’t act now — our school will lose accreditation and our property values will plummet.

This is the only feasible and most cost effective option. This is not a permanent tax increase — this vote is for a debt exclusion — money that will go to a specific project. When this project is paid off, the tax increase is revoked. Figure out your home values and what you are taxed at and you will realize that most of us will pay less than a dollar a day to fund this project. Please read the facts about the proposed new high school and understand that the town, our children and our future success as a community depends on this .

STEPHANIE McBRIDE

Franklin

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